Gasherbrum III is situated between Gasherbrum II and IV and has a height of 7,952m/26,089ft. It was the highest unclimbed peak until 1974, before a Polish women’s expedition, under the leadership of Mrs. Wanda Rutkiewics, climbed it on the 11th August, 1975.

Gasherbrum IV (7925 m)

Gasherbrum IV is the 17th highest mountain on Earth and the 6th highest in Pakistan. It is one of the peaks in the Gasherbrum massif. Gasherbrum IV (just 75 meters short of the wonderful figure of 8000 meters)

Masherbrum (7821 m)

Masherbrum (also known as K1) located in the Gilgit Baltistan of Pakistan is the 22nd highest mountain in the world and the 11th highest in Pakistan.It was the first scaled and mapped peak in the Karakorum range hence its name.

Rakaposhi (7788 m)

Rakaposhi (Räkapoşi, is a mountain in the Karakoram mountain range in Pakistan. It is situated in the Nagar Valley approximately 100 km north of the city of Gilgit. Rakaposhi means “Snow Covered” in the local language. Rakaposhi is also known as Dumani (“Mother of Mist”). It is ranked 27th highest in the world and 12th highest in Pakistan, but it is more popular for its beauty than its rank might suggest.

Batura I (7785 m)

Batura Sar, also referred to as Batura I, is the 25th highest mountain on earth and the 12th highest in Pakistan. It is the highest peak of the Batura Muztagh, which is the westernmost subrange of the Karakoram range. It forms the apex of the Batura Wall, which is a continuously high part of the backbone of the Batura Muztagh.

Tirich Mir (7708m)

The Hindu Kush (the mountains of Hind) is a 500-mile mountain range that stretches between central Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. The highest point in the Hindu Kush is Tirich Mir, also called “roof of the world” (7,708 m or 25,289 ft) in the Chitral region of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Chogolisa (7665 m)

Chogolisa (or Bride Peak) is a mountain in the Karakoram region of Pakistan. It lies near the Baltoro Glacier in the Concordia region which is home to some of the highest peaks of the world. Chogolisa has several peaks, the highest on the SW face (Chogolisa I) rises to 7,665 metres (25,148 ft). The second highest at 7,654 metres on the NE side (Chogolisa II) is the one named Bride Peak by Martin Conway in 1892.

Passu Peak (7478 m)

Passu Peak (or Pasu Sar,) is a mountain peak in the Batura Muztagh, a sub-range of the Karakoram mountain range, located in the Gilgit District of the Gilgit – Baltistan of Pakistan, west of the Hunza -Nagar Valley.
It is the high point of the Passu massif, which also includes Passu Diar (or “Passu East”, “Pasu II”). The peak lies on the main ridge of the Batura Muztagh, about 7 km (4 mi) east of Batura Sar.

Muztagh Tower (7273 m)

Muztagh Tower (also: Mustagh Tower; Muztagh: ice tower), is a mountain in the Baltoro Muztagh, part of the Karakoram range in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. It stands between the basins of the Baltoro and Sarpo Laggo glaciers.

K6 7282m (Baltistan Peak)

K6, or Baltistan Peak, is a notable peak of the Masherbrum Mountains, a subrange of the Karakoram mountain range. Despite being much lower than its sister mountains, the Eight-thousanders and high 7000m peaks such as Masherbrum, it has huge, steep faces, and great relief above the nearby valleys, making it an impressive peak.

Diran (7272m)

Diran is a mountain in the Karakoram range of Gilgit – Baltistan of Pakistan. This pyramid shaped mountain lies in the East of Rakaposhi (7,788m). Diran was first climbed in 1968 by three Austrians Rainer Goeschl, Rudolph Pischinger and Hanns Schell. Earlier attempts by a German expedition in 1959 and an Australian expedition in 1964 were unsuccessful.

Latok 1 (7145 m)

The Latok group is a small cluster of dramatic rock peaks in the Panmah Muztagh, part of the central Karakoram mountain range. They lie just to the east of the Ogre group, dominated by Baintha Brakk. To the immediate south of the Latok group lies the Baintha Lukpar Glacier, a small tributary of the Biafo Glacier, one of the main glaciers of the Karakoram. On the north side of the group lies the Choktoi Glacier.

Spantik (7027m)

Spantik or Golden Peak is a mountain in Spantik-Sosbun Mountains subrange of Karakoram. Its northwest face features an exceptionally hard climbing route known as the “Golden Pillar”. It lies east of Diran and northeast of Malubiting.

K7 (6935m)

This peak is situated in the Saltoro and Masherbrum ranges. The nearby glaciers are Kaberi and Charakusa. Possible route to the peak is from Khapulo in Baltistan through Tagas, Dumsum and Kaberi glacier. Some maps show its height as 6,934m, while others show it as 6,935m.

K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth after Mount Everest. With a peak elevation of 8,611 metres (28,251 ft), K2 is part of the Karakoram Range, and is located on the border between the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Xinjiang, China, and Skardu, in Gilgit-Baltistan Provience of Pakistan.

K2 is a rocky mountain up to 6,000m, beyond which it becomes an ocean of snow. The traditional route to K2’s base camp goes from Skardu, which is linked with Islamabad by a good road. From Skardu the route goes via Shigar-Dassu-Askole up to Concordia over the Baltoro glacier.

K2 was firstly discovered and measured by the Survey of India in 1856, and first named for English topographer Henry Godwin – Austen, who explored and surveyed the region.

K2 is taken from the first letter of Karakoram, and the number indicates that it was the second peak in the range to be measured. K2 was firstly climbed on July,31 1954 by Italian climbers team lead by Ardito Desio and accompanying him were Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni. A March 1987 measurement of K2 indicated that it might be higher than Everest, but later that year, Everest was re-measured by a similar method and found to indeed be 778 ft (237m) taller.

Nanga Parbat 8125m, (Killer Mountain)

Nanga Parbat is the second highest mountain in Pakistan, ninth highest mountain on Earth and among the eight-thousanders, it is the largest single mountain.

Nanga Parbat translates to “Naked Mountain” in English; Parbat deriving from the Sanskrit word parvata meaning “mountain, rock”, and nanga an Urdu word meaning “naked”.

Known as the “Killer Mountain”, Nanga Parbat was one of the deadliest of the eight-thousanders for climbers in the first half of the twentieth century; since that time it has been less so, though still an extremely serious climb. It is also an immense, dramatic peak that rises far above its surrounding terrain.

Gasherbrum-I 8068m, (Hidden Peak)

Gasherbrum I (also known as Hidden Peak or K5) is the 11th highest peak on Earth, located on the Pakistan-China border in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. Gasherbrum I is part of the Gasherbrum massif, located in the Karakoram region of the Himalaya. Gasherbrum is often claimed to mean “Shining Wall”, presumably a reference to the highly visible face of the neighboring peak Gasherbrum IV; but in fact it comes from “rgasha” (beautiful) + “brum” (mountain) in Balti, hence it actually means “beautiful mountain.”

Gasherbrum I was designated K5 (meaning the 5th peak of the Karakoram) by T.G. Montgomery in 1856 when he first spotted the peaks of the Karakoram from more than 200 km away during the Great Trigonometric Survey of India. In 1892, William Martin Conway provided the alternate name, Hidden Peak, in reference to its extreme remoteness.

Gasherbrum-I was first climbed on July 5, 1958 by Pete Schoening and Andy Kauffman of an eight-man American expedition led by Nicholas B. Clinch. Richard K. Irvin, Tom Nevison, Tom McCormack, Bob Swift and Gil Roberts were also members of the team.

Broad Peak 8047m, (Falchan Kangri)

Broad Peak (originally named K3), known locally as Falchan Kangri , is the 12th highest mountain on Earth, with an elevation of 8047 meters.

Broad Peak is part of the Gasherbrum massif on the border of Pakistan and China.

It is located about 8 kilometres (5 miles) from K2. Broad Peak was originally named K3 right after the naming of K2 but on closer inspection by a later party, it was discovered that the summit was over 1.5 kilometres (1 mile) long, thus “Broad Peak.

Gasherbrum-II 8035m 

Gasherbrum II (also known as K4) is the 13th highest mountain on Earth, located in the Gilgit Baltistan province, Pakistan near the border to China.

Gasherbrum II is the third highest peak of the Gasherbrum massif, located in the Karakoram range of the Himalaya.

The standard route is via the SW ridge as it is relatively free of objective hazards such as ice falls and avalanches.

Gasherbrum II was first climbed on July 8, 1956 by Fritz Moravec, Josef Larch and Hans Willenpart of an Austrian expedition.

Besides these high mountains, Karakoram is inhabited by the longest glaciers outside the polar regions, including Siachen (75 km), Biafo (68 km), Baltoro (62 km) Batura (58 km) and Hispar (53 km). The above mountain ranges are home to some of the most enchanting and captivating valleys like Hunza, Shigar, Khaplu, Ishkuman, Naltar, Gilgit, Skardu, Chitral, Dir, Swat and Kaghan and splendid passes like Shandur, Chilinji, Babu Sar, Lowari and Burzil. There are numerous glacial lakes in these mountain ranges which are famous for their scenic beauty, blue waters and trout fishing. Prominent among these are Phandar, Kachura, Sadpara, Lulusar and Saiful Muluk.

Pakistan’s abundant mountain wealth makes it a paradise for mountaineers, trekkers, adventure seekers and nature lovers. The grandeur, charm and challenge of Pakistan’s high mountains lure large numbers of mountaineers, adventure seekers and nature lovers from the world over.

The Trango Towers are a group of dramatic granite spires located on the north side of the Baltoro Glacier, in Baltistan, a district of the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan (formerly Northern Areas).

They are part of the Baltoro Muztagh, a subrange of the Karakoram range. The Towers offer some of the largest cliffs and most challenging rock climbing in the world.

The highest point in the group is the summit of Great Trango Tower, 6,286 m (20,608 ft). The east face of the Great Trango Tower features the world’s greatest nearly vertical drop.

Shipton Spire (5910m)

Three miles across the Trango Glacier and just above the confluence of the North and South Hainablak glaciers was the elusive Shipton Spire. It rises out of the ice without hesitation; its walls looked fierce and steep.

It wasn’t until the summer of 1996 that a strong North American/Australian team finally conquered Shipton Spire 5900m. In 1995 Ryuji Taniguchi, the solo Japanese climber perished in a massive rock fall while attempting the wall. His haul bag was still 13 pitches up.

Ladyfinger Peak (6000m)

Bublimotin, Bubli Motin, Bublimating or Ladyfinger Peak, is a distinctive rock spire in the Batura Muztagh, the westernmost subrange of the Karakoram range in Pakistan. It lies on the southwest ridge of the Ultar Sar massif, the most southeasterly of the major groups of the Batura Muztagh.The whole massif rises precipitously above the Hunza Valley to the southeast.

The Drifika (6447m) Peak is located in Charakusa Glacier, Karakoram, Pakistan. Drifika offers a major challenge for veteran climbers, and is considered as one of the hardest climb of below 6500m peaks in Karakoram. The Peak was first climbed by the Japanese expedition team led by Akiya Ishimura in 1978.

Laila Peak (6095m)

Laila Peak in Hushe Valley near Gondogoro glacier is in Karakoram range and is 6,096m high. It has a distinctive spear-like shape. Its northwest face has a slope of 45 degrees in more than 1500 vertical meters. It has been climbed by Simon Yates (mountaineer), among others. According to the local people in Hushe, the Laila peak has been climbed only twice, a total of only seven people have summited

Minglig Sar (6050m)

Minglig Sar (6050m) is located in the Shimshal Valley in Hunza neighboring the Chinese southern most mountain range Kun Lun. Shimshal Lake sits at the base of the mountain near the Shimshal Pass (4735m).

Rush Peak (5,098m)

Rush Peak is a mountain in the Karakoram mountain range of Central Asia. It is located in the Gilgit District of the Northern Areas of Pakistan. While not a high peak by local standards, it is noteworthy as a remote trekking destination.

It can be reached via Nagar Valley and Hoper Village. The peak can be accessed via Hoper Glacier (Bualtar Glacier) and Barpu Glacier.

]]> https://www.htt.com.pk/list-of-mountains/feed/ 0 https://www.htt.com.pk/mountain-ranges-of-pakistan/ https://www.htt.com.pk/mountain-ranges-of-pakistan/#comments Thu, 01 Jan 2015 07:09:54 +0000 https://www.htt.com.pk/?p=12510 Karakoram

In Turkish language Karakoram means “black” this excellent and impressive set of dark brown and black variety of rocks in very rare mountain range. It houses the largest collection of very high pinnacles and mountains in the world stretched for 400 kms. This concentration has 250 kms depth. It is surrounded by Shyok River in the East and Karamber, Ishkuman and Gilgit Rivers in the West. Then it is surrounded by the Shaksgan River in the North East and by Shyok and the Indus Rivers in the South West. Karakoram has special significance for its fractured rocks, guarding vertical characteristics and very sharp angled slopes offering great challenge to mountaineers and adventure lovers. Four summits above 8000 meters i.e., K-2, Gasherbrum I and II as well as Broad Peak exist in Karakoram in an area of only 20 kms encircling the reputed glacial junction – Concordia. Baltoro, Soltoro, Lupghar, Khunjerab, Panmah, Aghil, Masherbrum, Saser, Hispar, Siachin, Rino, Batura, Rakaposhi/Bagrot and Haramosh are the sub-regions of the Karakoram.

This region has variable snow line ranging between 4200 to 4500 meters during the summer season. The temperatures in the area are extremely varied with large difference between lowest and highest mercury in a day. There is no penetration of Monsoons in this area. From May till end of September, each year is the most viable season to go for climbing in Karakoram. However climbing during winter is possible. Apart from towering mountains, Karakoram house largest glaciers outside the Polar Regions.

Travelers used to be attracted by the elegance and massif of the Karakoram and Hindukush. The Chinese are known to be the pioneers among travelers on the renowned Silk Route passing through these beautiful ranges. They recorded their experience of dark mountains, rope bridges and huge glaciers. Mr. Fattien while traveling from Sinkiang to the South Asian Sub-continent in 390 AD croissed the Karakoram via Mintika Pass (4710 m). Hinen Isang did track his way via Karakoram to this region in 603 AD.

Marco Polo’s travel from Venice to Kublai Khan’s Court in 13th Century left its effects like Marco Polo sheep. Then Ibne Batuta of Tangiers made a journey to this place in 14th century. Afterwards several European dignitaries paid visits to Karakoram seeking adventure, exploration, scientific researches and mountaineering in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

Yet in the beginning of 19th century, men of exploration like Mr. J. Henderson and Mr. G.T. Vinge came to Skardu in 1834 and 1836. Hence mountain climbing and trekking in Karakoram commenced in 1892 because Martin Conway during his survey of the Upper Indus, tried to climb summits in the area including Rakaposhi. He was back to the region in 1902 and tried to scale K-2. The grand Duke of Abruzzi from Italy headed his large expedition to go for climbing and have a thorough survey of the Upper Baltoro region in 1909. That showed the way to a series of expeditions eager to do exploration and mountaineering in Karakoram region.

By 1947, some European mountaineers and explorers consisting of British, Italians and American had paid visits to the region. In post independent days in 1947, number of expeditions to this area recorded an increase. In 1953 a US expedition took the initiative of an attempt on K-2 but remained unsuccessful.

In 1954 an Italian expedition led by Prof. Ardito Desio successfully went for the first ascent of the extremely fierce mountain – K-2. Mr. Lino Lecedelli and Archille companions were the pioneers to get to the K-2 peak, scaling via Abruzzi ridge. The area was opened for general mountaineering and trekking in 1974 and since then a sufficient number of expeditions come to Karakoram every year. To date so many mountaineers hailing from various countries have scaled K-2. They are among world famous and prominent mountaineers such as Reinhold Messener etc. Number of expeditions approaching Karakoram every year average to 100. A sufficient number of foreign as well as Pakistani mountaineers have so far scaled other high peaks of Karakoram Range, still there are so many other towering peaks yet remain unscaled looking for a challenge from the daring ones.

Hindukush

The Hindukush stand high in the west of Pamirs. Considerably it stretches from Wakhjir pass at the conjunction of pamirs and Karakoram to Khawak pass in the north of Kabul. First part of it goes beyond Wakhjir pass up to Dorah pass (320 kms long) and separates Hunza from Wakhan. Its second is satuated on the other side of Dorah pass in Afghanistan. The third region with 240 kms length is located in Pakistan stretching into swat and Kohistan. Eastward, the Indus River separates it from Karakoram. Thich Mir (7492m), Darban Zom (7219m) and Shingeik Zom are the other peaks of the area.

There are few glaciers in the range but these less significant. Because of geographic qualities this area has accessibility to Afghanistan and in 1830 it was first discovered by Europeans and then by the survey teams from Britain. British survey teams had attempted to climb Tirchmir and other summits in the area dating back in 1927. However in 1950 a Norwegian expedition comprising of nationals of different countries along with Pakistanis have scaled it. Other summits of the area were scaled afterwards i.e., in the sixties and seventies. Though almost all the peaks in the above 7000m in the Hindukush have already been scaled, still the goes on to attract mountaineers and those having love for nature. Lately other activities related to adventure tourism such as trekking and jeep safaris have shown considerable rise in the area.

Westerns Himalayas

The western Himalayas is located between valley of Kashmir in the east to Indus River in the north and west and Nanga Parbat massif is dominating it. Highest peak of this chain stands at 8125m. the range includes Kashmir, Kaghan, Kohistan, Deosai and Chitral regions. Deosai plains existing at an altitude of about 4500m also dominate this range. These plains are full of flowers blossoming in the summer months, offering very charming scenery. The monsoon also blesses the area and summer is the climbing season. Recently to some extent winter climbing has also commenced.

Baltoro Glacier

The Baltoro Glacier, at 62 kilometers long, is one of the longest glaciers outside the Polar Regions. It is located in Baltistan, in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, and runs through part of the Karakoram mountain range. The Baltoro Muztagh lies to the north and east of the glacier, while the Masherbrum Mountains lie to the south. At 8,611 m (28,251 ft), K2 is the highest mountain in the region, and three others within 20 km top 8,000 m.

The glacier gives rise to the Shigar River, which is a tributary of the Indus River. Several large tributary glaciers feed the main Baltoro glacier, including the Godwin Austen Glacier, flowing south from K2, the Abruzzi and the various Gasherbrum Glaciers, flowing from the Gasherbrum group of peaks; the Vigne Glacier, flowing from Chogolisa, and the Yermandendu Glacier, flowing from Masherbrum. The confluence of the main Baltoro Glacier with the Godwin Austen Glacier is known as Concordia; this location and K2 base camp are popular trekking destinations.

The trough of this glacier is very wide. Small valley glaciers form icefalls where they meet the trunk glacier. The sidewalls vary from very steep to precipitous. The glacier has carved striations on the surrounding country rocks. Moving ice has formed depressions, which serve as basins for numerous glacial lakes.

Biafo Hisper Glacier

The Biafo Glacier is a 63 km long glacier in the Karakoram Mountains of the Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan which meets the 49 km long Hispar Glacier at an altitude of 5,128 m (16,824 feet) at Hispar La(Pass) to create the world’s longest glacial system outside the polar regions. This highway of ice connects two ancient mountain kingdoms, Nagar (immediately south of Hunza) in the west with Baltistan in the east. The traverse uses 51 of the Biafo Glacier’s 63 km and all of the Hispar Glacier to form a 100 km glacial route.

The Biafo Glacier presents a trekker with several days of very strenuous, often hectic boulder hopping, with spectacular views throughout and Snow Lake near the high point. Snow Lake, consisting of parts of the upper Biafo Glacier and its tributary glacier Sim Gang, is one of the world’s largest basins of snow or ice in the world outside of the polar regions, up to 1,600 m (one mile) in depth.

The Biafo Glacier is the world’s third longest glacier outside of the polar regions, second only to the 70 km Siachen Glacier disputed between Pakistan and India and Tajikistan’s 77 km long Fedchenko Glacier.

Campsites along the Biafo are located off of the glacier, adjacent to the lateral moraines and steep mountainsides. The first three (heading up from the last village before the glacier, the thousand-year-old Askole village) are beautiful sites with flowing water nearby. Mango and Namla, the first two campsites, are often covered in flowers and Namla has an amazing waterfall very near the camping area. Baintha, the third camp site, is often used as a rest day. A large green meadow, it has a few running streams near the camp and many places to spend the day rock climbing or rappelling.

Evidence of wildlife can be seen throughout the trek. The Ibex and the Markhor Mountain Goat can be found and the area is famous for brown bears and snow leopards, although sightings are rare.

Batura Glacier

Batura Glacier (57km long) is one of the largest and longest glaciers outside the polar regions.[1] It lies in the Gojal region of the Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan, just north of Batura (7,795 m) and Passu(7,500 m) massifs.

It flows west to east. The lower portions can be described as a grey sea of rocks and gravelly moraine, bordered by a few summer villages and pastures with herds of sheep, goats, cows and yaks and where roses and juniper trees are common.